In an effort to fill the spaces
left empty by his wife and daughter's deaths, Twain formed a group
called "The Aquarium," a "club made up of a coterie of young girls
between the age of eleven and seventeen"(Trombley
181). Clemens picked
approximately sixteen girls to join the group and would meet with
them regularly to play cards or share stories. "In his
autobiographical dictation dated April 17, 1909, Clemens discusses
the genesis of the the Angelfish. According to Clemens, after
Olivia's death he became terribly lonely and believed he was now
bereft of family. His daughters had retreated from him into their own
lives, and he was left alone"(Trombley 182). Clemens best defends the
nature of his relationship with the angelfish when he writes, "No it
is a treasure palace of little people whom I worship, and whose
degraded and willing slave I am. In grandchildren I am the richest
man that lives to-day: for I select my grandchildren..."(Trombley
183). Trombley explains that some critics like Hamlin Hill view the
angelfish as an "unhealthy obsession." Trombley disagrees and calls
it a lonely substitute for his daughters whom he could "spin tales"
off of (Trombley 182). Although controversial and quite frankly, a
little too Michael Jacksonesque, Trombley asserts that his interest
in the young girls was basically harmless. They served his nostalgic
purposes and that was as far as it went.

The Angelfish did not have any
influence on any of the characters we are looking at since they did
not exist during the time of their conceptions. I only included them
because they were very important females in Clemens's life at one
point and can be used to observe his on going fascination with youth
as well as his need for the attention of a female audience.